New Signings: Who Is The Fans’ Favourite Already?

Owen Hargreaves has been a player often mocked in England and used as a scapegoat for the failings of the national team on numerous occasions. It only made sense then that he sign for United.

It is a shame that his debut finished with a derby day defeat at the council house, and if we’d had ten Owen Hargreaves on the field, it would have been a different result. He worked tirelessly throughout the ninety minutes, claiming every fifty-fifty as his own, and bossing the midfield. Not since Keane have we seen a player so confident on the ball and able to drive the team forward from his own half. It was a massive relief to see, and I hadn’t realised up until that point how much we’d craved such a player. No discredit to Michael Carrick who I believe played his part and contributed his fair share to our title winning season, but the composure, decisiveness, and confidence of Hargreaves’ debut managed to outshine Carrick entirely. This is the man we’ve been looking for. Amidst the Fletchers, O’Sheas, Djemba-Djembas, Klebersons, Alan Smiths, all ending in failed attempts to find a player who fit in to the Keane mould, we’d finally got the fella up to the job.

We haven’t seen as much from Hargreaves as we would have liked since then, and the injury re-occurrence has sparked fears that we’ve signed a crocked player. I think our current situation with Saha, and more frighteningly so, Rooney, has made us all a bit too sensitive to injuries. However, it is important to note that in the past six seasons with Bayern Munich, Hargreaves has averaged thirty two games a season, and this is taking in to consideration his last season when he suffered a broken leg (with a respectable thirty five game a season average when not including 06-07).

Regardless, the fella looks top class, and at only twenty six, he has his peak to come yet. He can tackle, he can pass, he can run with the ball, and he’s also got a rather handy shot on him. What I find most impressive though, however, is his presence, and his ability to switch it on for the reds, getting them all up for it when that’s needed. It is for these reasons, and probably many more, that he has today been voted the most impressive new signing on the official United site, with a massive 38% of the vote. Tevez was voted second with 32%, whilst Anderson and Nani both collected 15%.

Essentially, Ferguson has made four great new signings, and the fact that Anderson, who was our Man of the Match away to Arsenal, impressing us no end in several other matches, scraped in at third place, says a lot about the quality of our new players. Ferguson has already said that this current squad is his best ever, and it would be hard to argue with that. The extra strength we have now, meaning players like Carrick, Nani, Saha and Anderson are fighting for three spots on the bench when we have a fully fit first XI, is rather terrifying. Wes Brown, John O’Shea, Gerard Pique and Danny Simpson are all competing for the one defensive place. The signings add the quality we’ve craved when comparing our bench with that of Chelsea’s in recent seasons.

I have to agree that Hargreaves is the best of the lot, but with the four new signings averaging at twenty two years old, you’d have to imagine the best is certainly yet to come!

Who do you think has been the best buy?

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4 Comments

I totally agree with you, Hargreaves is pure class. He is one of our most important players now, imagine how important he will be in the Champions League when we face teams like Barcelona. He wins almost every ball on midfield and he runs like it´s his last game every game. Tevez was not so good in the beginning but he is getting better and better, he will come good I know that. Anderson is going to be one of the best players in the world in a couple of years. The Arsenal fans must be wondering now, they have always thougt that Fabregas is the most talented young player in the Premier League. Thats not the case now, I guess they are really confused and sad at the same time. Nani on the other I´m not so sure about. Well, we have all seen that he can shoot like a horse but a new Ronaldo, naaw not a chance. I think he can become a really good winger for us without doubt but saying he is the new ronaldo isn´t fair. So I agree with you mate, Hargreaves is the best signing but Anderson will become the best of thema all in a couple of years. Cheeeers!

Tevez was playing as a lone striker up front so he found it difficult initially but he’s shown what a classy player he is. We surely haven’t seen the best of him,. I’ve followed him ever since he was in Corinthians and although he isn’t a van Nistelrooy type goalscorer, he offers so much more in terms of linking the midfield and Rooney and involving other players in the attack.
Hargreaves is probably at the age where players have the right blend of maturity and physical strength. He is absolutely terrific and I agree with you Scott, he is exactly what we needed since November, 2005.
But I wouldn’t be surprised if Anderson established himself as the best in the world in three years or so. He’s already ahead of Carrick in the team and a future midfield pairing of him and Hargreaves when Scholes retires is very assuring. Fabregas is brilliant and mature from so much experience but Anderson will surpass him with time, because he’s not only got excellent, instinctive awareness of his teammates..he has the physical qualities: fast and strong, and can dribble. Don’t bet against seeing some Ronaldinho-style magic at Old Trafford
Nani has everything to have a massive impact on games, as he showed against Roma and I’m excited to see him succeed Giggs on the left flank and although he doesn’t have Ronaldo’s speed to just ease past defenders, he’s very quick and can cross well. I thought it was surprising that Ribery, who has achieved a lot already, went to Bayern for the same price Nani came here for. Says a lot about his potential, doesn’t it?? And to think Shaun Wright-Phillips cost more…hahahahaha

I can’t really choose who has been most impressive. Because they have all impressed me a great deal.

Earlier in the season I would have said Nani. But that is mostly because he was the only one of the new guys playing. Well Tevez as well, but he was not fit, and it showed!

Hargo impressed me from the first match, but the injuries has been a cause of worry for me, and I guess for several others as well.
I admit that I was against Hargo comming to us, because every time in the past when I saw him play he was useless, but then every time I saw him played he played in a wide position, which we all know isn’t his favored position. He has turned me around and I am now firmly in the pro Hargo department.

Anderson was crap against Sunderland, but he produced a pass of brilliance in that match as well, but all in all I was very disappointed in him on that day. But I knew it would take time with him. He did not benefit from pre season training with us and when he came back from the Copa he was injured as well. So he is excused for his performance in that match. Off late he has produced the performances we all expected of him and he is a gem! No doubt.

My father supports West Ham and I asked him several times last season why they didn’t use Tevez. They were playing shite, but still they would not use him. In the end they let him play, and we all know what happened after.
He single handedly saved them, and I told my father after the last match last season that forget it, Tevez will play with United next season. And hey presto I was right. He has also impressed but we knew of his abilities before so it’s been more like he has performed as was expected of him rather then impressed really.

That story of Tevez reminds me of Solskjaer actually. I am from the same region of Norway as Solskjaer is, and I knew he was a good finisher. Almost top scorer in the Norwegian league, but then he scored two marvelous volley goals for norway against Azarbajan and I told my friend that he was going to play for United soon. And not long after he was a United player. Maybe I should quit my job and start fortune telling for a living?

But back to topic. It is a close call, but in the end I agree with the article and the voters on manutd.com. Hargo his been the most impressive, just because I expected nothing from him in the first place. I did not wan’t us to buy him at all. Boy was I wrong! Well done Hargo!